Le Grand Cafe — Restaurant in Limoux

Very disappointing yesterday. Beware the summer season and Mondays at the Grand Cafe.

I have eaten here many times before. The last time was in May 2025 and it was very good. Yesterday was terrible. The sun was shining and it was a Monday. Other places were closed so the cafe was full, very busy with people being constantly turned away. Suggestion.....put a sign up saying "complet" to save embrassing loads of people arriving, seeing empty tables, browsing the menu, then being told sharply to go away.

The worst thing was the utter rudeness and attitude of the staff. From our arrival, when we were ignored repeatedly by staff, and then the head waiter accused us of not having booked (I booked through the Google reserve app). We were for some reason not allowed to speak French and the same head waiter constantly spoke to us in English and treated us disrespectfully. Again, at the end, constantly ignored when trying to pay. So embarrassing for me, as I had brought my parents with me and promised a great lunch.

Very slow service. It took 55 minutes for our starters to arrive.

Food quality very concerning. The menu was different to last time and seemed more basic and touristy. I had the pork which was just two slabs of overcooked pork and a little basket of soggy chips. I had to order a side salad to loosen it up. My partner's little chips basket with her steak tartare had a piece of tomato sauce wrapper in it. What does that mean? Well either they were left over chips maybe topped up or the basket hadn't been cleaned since last use. Terrible. But she was just too embarrassed to start a complaint after well over an hour before main course. My parents had large salads of basic salad that just had deep fried additives. The Veggie planche had a veggie burger cut in to four, and a pastry thing cut in to four. Too processed, but the tapenade and the capers were nice.

All in all, awful, extremely disappointing. Only the lovely sunshine, and the Limoux square and the mass of people made me feel I was somewhere nice.

Toilets and cafe decor are exceptional. Hopefully, next time ago it will be back to how it used to be with the staff either replaced...

Straight away it's the ambiance and general buzz about the place. It's ideally situated in the heart of the town and overlooks the coming and goings of Place de la République. Service is quick and usually with a smile and pleasant exchange. Prices are reasonable and the coffee is good. Food is good also but prices are average, given that's it's prime tourist area. Lot of English speaking there on the market day, Friday but you could be waiting for a seat so try to get there before 10 if...

Joined friends who had just eaten a meal at the Grand Cafe and ordered a 'bierre pression demi' and a cafe creme. I expected to pay under 5 euros but was shocked when I was charged 6,50 euros. I queried the bill and was told the beer was 3 euros the normal price for the Place du Republic and 3,50 euros for the coffee, which is more that 1,50 euros than other places on the Place. As a long time resident of Limoux who was joining other residents of Limoux I will not be...